Orange-Maple Glazed Baby Carrots

Always a Hit!

If you need a side dish to wow guests or to bring to a function, this is it. I mean who doesn't love carrots? Ok, mom I know you don't, but everyone else does. This is also the perfect dish to get your kids to eat their veggies. The carrots are slightly sweetened and the warm spiciness from the cinnamon is so comforting.
Now that fall is quickly approaching, it just seemed an appropriate dish to make, to sort of get used to the idea of the cooler weather coming. Plus, it goes well with all those cool weather roasts (especially Ham) that we'll be making sooner than we think...
Ok now that I've totally depressed everyone talking about fall and the end of summer, here is the recipe... :P

Orange-Maple Glazed Baby Carrots

3 (1-pound) bags baby carrots
1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tbls.)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon orange rind
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (optional)

Steam baby carrots for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
Place other ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce becomes thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the carrots and mix to coat evenly. Transfer to a serving platter and top with fresh mint.

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Moist and Delicious!

Well as you can see, I got my first blueberries of the season! What to make... decisions, decisions. There are too many great recipes to make with blueberries. Should I make the always welcomed blueberry muffins or maybe some scones. Of course blueberry pie never disappoints either. Then there's those lemon blueberry cookies I've been wanting to make. Talk about stress...what a tough decision.

But I finally decided to make some Blueberry Oatmeal Bars. Why? I don't really know. Probably because I have never made them before. Plus, I recently ate some of my Mom's Quaker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars and have been thinking about them ever since. So why not create a blueberry bar using similar ingredients? I was up for the challenge!

By the way, they turned out super moist and chewy, flavorful and I think, pretty cute too!


1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick tub margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and stems picked off

Heat oven to 350°F. Place a large piece of foil in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, overhanging sides.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In an electric mixer or large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add oil and maple syrup, mix well. Add egg whites (one at a time) and vanilla; beat well. Add sifted flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats; mix well. Carefully fold in half of blueberries.
Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Add the remaining blueberries to the top of the mixture, pushing berries in lightly.

Bake 28 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 20 minutes in pan; remove to wire rack by lifting up sides of foil. Cool completely. Cut into 24 squares. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.